Browne: Trinidad and Tobago joins global coalition against synthetic drugs

SYNTHETIC drugs are in circulation in TT, lamented Foreign Affairs Minister Dr Amery Browne in a statement on Tuesday.

He said last Friday he had joined in virtual talks hosted by US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken to launch the Global Coalition Against Synthetic Drug Threats.

"Illicitly-manufactured synthetic drugs such as fentanyl, tramadol, cathinones, synthetic cannabinoids, methamphetamine, captagon, MDMA, and ketamine pose a complex public health and security threat," Browne said.

"All stakeholders - law enforcement, regulatory, commercial and public health entities - around the world must work together to address."

The meeting attracted 58 countries and ten regional and global organisations that combat illegal drugs.

"The US Government is seeking to work with interested countries to respond to the growing security and public health challenge of synthetic drugs.

In the meeting, Browne delivered this country’s national statement, reaffirming Trinidad and Tobago’s commitment to working closely with the US and all coalition partners, to combat the grave and growing risk of illegal synthetic drugs to the health and safety of people around the world.

"The minister also acknowledged that the illegal use of synthetic drugs is slowly increasing in TT among citizens."

He said the Government was working assiduously against these challenges, including establishing an Early Warning System Trinidad and Tobago (EWS-TT) Working Group.

The working group is a multi-institutional network of key stakeholders which issues alerts about new psychoactive substances. It also offers training and sensitization webinars and workshops for practitioners in law enforcement and health and the general public.

The group fosters partnerships among stakeholders to reduce demand, investigate and interrupt transshipment.

"The outcome document adopted at the conclusion of the meeting was the Ministerial Declaration on Accelerating and Strengthening the Global Response to Synthetic Drugs, which is a non-binding agreement to stress the importance of the issue and an agreement to work together to address the related challenges."

The coalition seeks to complement existing multilateral bodies and efforts, and recognises the role of the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs to coordinate efforts.

Members of the coalition will collaborate in working groups to "offer new solutions, drive national action and advance combating synthetic drugs as a policy priority." The coalition will meet again at the 78th UN General Assembly to share its work with a broader audience and advance international drug policy.

Browne, in a second media statement on Tuesday, said he had earlier met UK High Commissioner Harriet Cross and her political officer Chinali Patel to discuss bilateral and multilateral items. Cross congratulated TT for hosting last week's Caricom Heads meeting.

"Minister Browne indicated that all credit for the successful hosting of the Meeting, should go to Teams Trinidad and Tobago and Caricom."

He said the conference, which marked the 50th anniversary of the 1973 Treaty of Chaguaramas, saw Caricom Heads attend a tree planting exercise on Caricom Day, July 4, 2023, at the Chaguaramas Convention Centre.

Browne and Cross discussed a range of multilateral issues, including the UK’s candidature for chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. They also discussed areas of co-operation plus priorities for future collaboration and partnership.